Much To Tell

Lots of Mexican Fan Earrings

There's a lot to catch you up on about the goings on at Poppyfield Bead Company.

Holiday Weekend Schedule

Poppyfield Bead Company WILL BE OPEN our regular hours over the holiday weekend. Friday 12-5:30, Saturday 12-4:30, and Monday 2-8 PM. Saturday is open beading from 12:30-4:30. Click here for more info about Open Beading. Monday evening is the RAW Bon Bon class at 6:00 PM. It is SOLD OUT. BUT.... there is already another class scheduled for Saturday, July 23rd 1-4. Don't miss out.

RIVOLIS ARE HERE

My "emergency" order of over 20 different Swarovski 14mm rivolis arrived today. There are some new colors such as Ultra Pink AB, Emerald Glacier Blue, Purple Haze, and also tried and true favs like Light Siam, Aquamarine, and Volcano and Sahara. Prices start as low as $1.65. If you are taking the RAW Bon Bons class Monday night with Margo and want to do the rivoli version, rest easy. I've got 'em!

DROPS AND LONG MAGATAMAS

I've got them in now, and hanging on the wall. There are over 26 colors of Japanese 3.4 mm Drops from Miyuki. They are used in the Mixed Media Medallion class (6/20) and are a great embellishment item, in general. I've got some gorgeous Long Magatamas now also - these can be seen in the bangle bracelet in one of the recent bead magazines (oops I can't remember which).

New Book: Handcrafted Wire Findings

This brand new book is great for beginners with wire who want to make their own findings. I can tell you from experience, it's great to be able to complete a project with a "just right" clasp that you make at home. It has been on back order and just came in today.

CLASS UPDATE

NEW CLASS: MEXICAN FAN EARRINGS with Julia Hecht (me)

Monday July 18th 6-9 OR Saturday, July 30th 1-4 $25

Mexican Fans by Julia Hecht

This is a one session class where you will learn to make a bezel and crystal embellishment for a large fire polish bead. I am about to try a giant pearl version. Stay tuned for pics of the pearl one.

There are still places available in the following classes:

• Phoenix Phlower with Margo Field: 6/4, 6/11, 6/18
• Milagro Chain Intro to Wirework with Susan Skinner: 6/13
• Mixed Media Medallion with Julia Hecht (me): 6/20
• Raw Bon Bons with Margo Field: 7/23

Check the classes page for details.

SAVE THE DATE: DIANE FITZGERALD AT POPPYFIELD

NOV 4-6, 2011

Bead Master Diane Fitzgerald is booked for 3 days of workshops at Studio Poppy. She and I are in discussion about which classes she will teach. Please let me know if you would be interested in her gingko leaf necklace. It sells out every year (for the last 12) at Bead and Button. Yet I know some of you have already done it. Click here for pic and info about the Gingko Leaf project.

Peace and Beads, y'all!

OPEN BEADING in STUDIO POPPY!!

Saturday May 28th

12:30-4:30

Studio Poppy at Poppyfield Bead Company

Don't spend the holiday weekend alone! Come bead with friends - new and old.

Bring your latest project or start something new.

Meet other beaders.

Just show up!

Table lamps and bead mats provided.

EYE CANDY: New and Improved!!!

Rivolis: So Delicious

Margo Field just stopped in to the store with a new (and in my opinion even more delicious) version of the RAW Bon Bons Bracelet scheduled for Memorial Day Evening and also Sat, July 23rd 1-4. This version uses 14 mm rivolis as the candy, instead of the 8 mm round. Its your choice, of course. But seriously - we all know how tantalizing rivoli's are. Imagine 7 on your wrist! I've got it on my wrist now. I am happy to report it is comfortable and very wearable. You can dress it up or down - jeans or an evening gown. Margo says this class is not for beginners and knowledge of right angle weave is helpful. Even I, self proclaimed hater of right angle weave would take this class. It is just that gorgeous. Come and see for yourself. The pic does not do justice.

If you've already registered for this class you will receive an email with a new supply list, should you opt for the rivoli version.

Positive Pressure

A few weeks ago a new customer came into the store. She spent some time picking beads and eventually brought me her green basket with quite a collection to check out. It was a really nice sale for me, and she seemed really happy to have found all these beads that she'd wanted. Just as I was handing her the receipt to sign, she remembered there was ONE more she'd wanted, but had forgotten. No problem, I told her. Then, the hair stood on the back of my neck as I saw she ventured into the area I'd begun to call "the crime scene". It is that back wall on the left where I've got all the beads from Margo that I haven't sorted through. Yes, they hang, because we had to see what we had, and how much space they took. They hang there like weeds in a garden or piles of dirty laundry, detracting from the perfection of all my hard work --- ever reminding me of the UNDONE. They haunt my dreams. Sort of.

It is confusing because they seem to be on display - sort of. I've pushed all sorts of tables and boxes and clutter around and in front of them - to create obstacles to getting near them. But, we beaders are a persistent lot. I've come to see that many will risk their personal safety to get to those beads. There are handwritten prices on them. Some are the selling price and some are the cost to me. I am not always sure what exactly I am dealing with. The whole situation makes me nervous and uncomfortable.

So... when this unsuspecting bead lover came up with her hank from "the crime scene", I panicked. I told her I couldn't sell them just yet, but I would email her when they were ready. Well, I won't go into details about what happened next. Let's just say, I learned "Never take beads from the hand of a beader".

It was my first truly negative experience with a customer. It just made me feel awful. I decided I could either push it aside or turn it into something positive. I chose the latter, because if not, it was bound to happen again. So... my plan became to help people get to the beads back there and pull beads so they can see them. If a customer is willing to wait while I get a price and put the product into my computer system, I sell it. It isn't the smoothest operation. But, what happens next is that I then label the rest of that product and get it out for sale - at least in the next day or two.

The result is that I've got my readied Czech bead area growing and slowly but steadily, the UNDONE is shrinking. Plus, what is ready is determined by YOU, my beading public. What you "must have" is what gets labelled and displayed. Now, when a customer moves toward the "crime scene", instead of panic, I just relish that people want what I have. I jump up, to make sure no one gets hurt back there. Then I do my best to show what I've got and make it available.

The rest I believe, will take care of itself.

PRODUCT UPDATE

Bead Magazines from Interweave Press

• Super Beadwork
• Favorite Bead Stitches
• Step by Step Wire

CLASS UPDATE

Make Your Own Medallion

Mixed Media Medallion with Julia Hecht (me)

Monday, June 20th 6 - 9 PM, Saturday July 16th 1-4 PM

choose ONE class. $25 (does not include supplies or tools)

This is a very fun, light project that allows you to use an image of your own choosing and turn it into a beaded medallion in just a few hours. This project uses paper, fabric, glass, beads, glue, thread, and wire. Perfect to hang from the Milagro chain (6/13 class), a ribbon, or cord. Bet you can't make just one! Stop by and see some samples.

Bon Bons in the RAW

RAW Bon Bons Bracelet with Margo Field

Monday, Memorial Day evening 6-9 PM, Saturday July 23rd 1-4 PM

choose ONE class. $25 (plus beads)

Still room in:

Phoenix Phlower with Margo - Saturdays, June 4th, 11th, 18th 1-4PM

The first group just finished this class last week and the necklaces were stunning. Amazing color combos!

Intro to Wirework Milagro Chain Necklace with Susan Skinner, Monday June 13th 6-9PM

(See the "Classes" page for pics and details)

Milagros and Bon Bons - Try 'Em

Milagros and Charms in Silver and Bronze

I am too tired to be awake and on the internet right now. But, alas, here I am. I am just too excited to go to sleep without sharing what's been going on at the store. There are new classes scheduled and new products that I've brought forward into the "open" part of the shop.

Product Update - Now Available

• 4mm Preciosa Bicones
• 6 mm Czech Fire Polish
• Small Drops
• Silver and Bronze Milagro Charms (see above pic)

Class Update

• Renaissance Rose with Bobbie Yoakum, 5/7, and 5/21- SOLD OUT
• Keep It Simple Loomwork with Bobbie Yoakum, Mondays 5/16 and 5/23-SOLD OUT

There are still places left in the following classes:

• Phoenix Phlower by Margo Field, 3 Saturdays 6/4, 6/11, 6/18 1-4 PM

New Classes

RAW Bon Bons Bracelet by Margo Field

This is a one session class being offered on Memorial Day evening 6-9 PM for $25.

RAW Bon Bons by Margo Field

Milagro Chain by Susan Skinner

Monday, June 13th, 6-9 PM $25

Milagro Chains

This is a one session intro to wirework with metal artisan, Susan Skinner. She will teach how to make wrapped loops and links, spirals, and embellishments, as well as a unique clasp. The Y chain you will make can be used to make a traditional rosary, or changed up with milagros, or your own beaded medallion. If you've thought about trying your hand at wire, this is the class for you.

Samples are on display at the shop. So stop by and take a look.

Mixed Media Medallions -TBA

Many of you have expressed interest in the medallions I have under glass right by the checkout area. This is a mixed media project I designed last year. It is a very fun, light project that allows you to use an image of your own choosing and turn it into a beaded medallion in just a few hours. Susan has convinced me to teach it NOW so that it can be the charm on the milagro necklace for a highly personalized "rosary" chain. Honestly, it is hard to imagine finding time to get instructions written while I am still working on setting up the store. But, I am gonna give it my best shot....so tune in for a future announcement of the date and time, with pics.